To Hope and to Dream
by Mai4eternity
Summary: Drabble series following the unlikely ship of Hope and Tom-Tom through capers and shenanigans, fluff and drama.
1. Effluvium

_Hello, and welcome to a series of oneshots focused on Avatar's two most adorable characters: Hope and Tom-Tom! The prompts may consist of dictionary [dot] com's word of the day, random vocabulary I come across, and words that sound funny to me, because I love funny words._

_These may or may not have any real connection, depending on my mood._

* * *

**Summary:**In which Hope and Tom-Tom are stuck in a tight spot.

**Characters/pairings:**Hom-Tom; implied Maiko

**Prompt:** Effluvium (n.) - a slight or invisible exhalation or vapor, especially one that is disagreeable or noxious (2/4/11 dictionary [dot] com word of the day)

**Word count:**220

**Rating:**T

**Disclaimer:**Don't own, so don't sue pl0x. Any characterization is merely opinion and should not be taken seriously.

**Author's note:**Set twelve years after canon. Hope is twelve and Tom-Tom is fourteen.

**1337 $P34k pwns 4LL.**

* * *

"Stop breathing."

Hope squirmed in her hiding place next to her companion, a short, slight teen with shaggy hair that fell over his grey-gold eyes. The two were squished next to each other in the extremely confined space of an alcove on the wintry spectacle that was the campus of Ba Sing Se University. Elbowing the boy in the stomach, she wriggled out from behind the statue of a long-dead Avatar that obstructed the opening of the niche.

"What are you doing?" hissed the boy. Hope simply smirked.

"I wasn't the one who threw that stink bomb at General Fong, Tom. Let's see if your sister the _Fire Lady_ can get you out of this mess. Last I heard, Fong challenged someone on the street to a duel just for getting in his way. It would be a shame if he found out it was you." She grinned slyly.

"You wouldn't–" Tom-Tom began, wide-eyed in fear.

"Oh yes, I would," Hope interrupted. "By the way, get a breath mint." And with that she spun around and bolted down the cobblestone street with her dark, messy braid flapping out from beneath her jade green knit cap and the heels of her boots resonating against the pavement with every hurried stride.

Meanwhile, Tom-Tom scowled in frustration. "Damn little squirt," he muttered.

* * *

**END. **


	2. Philomath

**Summary: **In which Hope is a very irritating stalker, at least to Tom-Tom.

**Characters/pairings: **Hom-Tom; implied Kataang and Tokka if you squint

**Prompt: **Philomath (n.) – a lover of learning; a scholar (2-8-11 dictionary [dot] com word of the day)

**Word count: **196

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer: **I don't own; I pwn. Big difference there.

**Author's note: **Set just before "Effluvium," twelve years after the war.

* * *

A rather plain girl hurried through the massive labyrinth of the National Library at Ba Sing Se University with a mission. Her tousled black braid whipped back and forth as she flicked her head, seeking her target. She ran over the polished marble floor past a blue-clad man with a beard who was standing next to a woman scowling at nothing in particular, as well as a bald man with tattoos donning yellow robes. Beside him, a young woman flipped through a volume of ancient Water Tribe texts. The girl with the braided hair darted through the library, ignoring people's annoyed glares while she glanced down every aisle till she found what she was looking for: a short, skinny boy hunched over a voluminous tome of Fire Nation history. His light red robes were rumpled, as if he had gone to the library the minute he rolled out of bed.

Flipping her braid over her shoulder, she tiptoed silently toward the boy. When she was within arm's length of him, she flung her stringy arms around her "best friend," as she called it. Tom-Tom let out a yelp of shock and screamed, "What the _fuck, _Hope?"

* * *

**END.

* * *

**

_A/N: And that's why they're not allowed in any libraries anymore._


	3. Daedal

**Summary: **In which the Fire Palace is vandalized.

**Characters/pairings: **Hom-Tom; implied Maiko

**Prompt: **Daedal (adj.) – complex or ingenious in form or function; rich; adorned with many things (2-10-11 dictionary [dot] com word of the day)

**Word count: **151

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer: **Avatar is an obsession, not a possession.

**Author's note: **Set around 14 years after canon. Surnames are the father's given name except in major aristocratic families.

"Whoa, this place is _sick,_" Hope said incredulously, staring wide-eyed at the interior of the Fire Palace. Her friend, Tom-Tom, who was walking beside her, shrugged and replied, "It's completely beast, isn't it?"

"No kidding, man," Hope agreed. She ran her fingers over the stone pillars that ran along the hallway. They were cold to the touch, unlike the wooden floors the two students stood upon. Hope then noticed that Tom-Tom had ambled ahead of her while she was admiring the architecture. A devious idea came to her. The young non-bender pulled out a knife (filched from Fire Lady Mai) in a flash, and knelt down on hard floor. Her blade made contact with the wood with a _whump._ Carefully its bearer scratched out in scraggly characters:

TOM IS A FOOL. –H.T.

With that she got up and sprinted back to said Tom-Tom's side, a sly grin spreading across her face.


	4. Uxorious

**Summary: **In which two ladies are much too nosy.

**Characters/pairings**: Hom-Tom, implied Maiko

**Prompt:** uxorious (adj.) - doting upon, foolishly fond of, or affectionately submissive toward one's wife (dictionary [dot] com word of the day 2-15-11)

**Word count:** 300

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer:** Don't own.

**Author's note:** A "sil" refers to a silver piece.

* * *

In 123 ASC, Capital City was met with a shocking surprise.

People buzzed on the streets of the Caldera about the fresh news.

"Apparently," gossiped a robust middle-aged lady, "the queen's younger brother married a lowly Earth Kingdom peasant while studying abroad; a native of Ba Sing Se, to be precise."

Another noblewoman, large from many luxurious feasts, shook her head. She insisted, "I heard she was a refugee. Think of it! A dirty country hick marrying into the royal family, even if a lesser branch of it. What a scandal!"

"A friend of my husband's sister told me that her brother said that this girl —Destiny, I believe — was a student at Ba Sing Se University."

"Impossible!" interjected the other woman. "I'm telling you, Ling, there's no way a commoner like her could have been allowed in a college of such prestige, especially with the sexist laws of their nation."

"I don't think so, Yuka — look!" Ling pointed to a pair of young people strolling hand-in-hand on the other side of the street. The man sported military uniform: black armor, topknot adorned with flame headpiece, and a sword strapped across his back, while the woman by his side wore simple green robes such as those a farm girl might wear.

Yuka gasped. "A member of the royal house walking without a palanquin and with such a girl as that? Absolutely scandalous! Just look at her clothes! They're as hideous as hell, as nauseating as gas, as painful as—"

oOo

Tom-Tom pulled his wife close. "I'll bet five sils they're talking about us," he whispered.

"Make it seven and a half," Hope giggled.

"You sure about that?" questioned her husband, stealing a kiss.


	5. Avatar Weekly, vol 4, issue 31

Thanks to CaelumBlue for the suggestion!

**Summary: **Families have something to say.  
**Characters/pairings: **see for yourself. I'm lazy.  
**Word count: ** 373  
**Rating: **K, I guess  
**Author's note: ** imbroglio is my new favorite word.

* * *

_On being asked on their opinions of the recent marriage of Tom-Tom of the House of Ling to the celebrated scholar Hope, relatives of the couple had differing views. – Evirna, editor of __Avatar Weekly__._

_Than, father of Hope_

My little Hope got married? That's wonderful! Say, that boy seems nice...

_Ying, mother of Hope_

She was born for a reason, you know. Hope was meant for more than a commoner's life. Her name tells all.

_Aunt of Hope (name unknown)_

(Smiles)

_Ex-governor of New Ozai (name not disclosed), father of Tom-Tom_

He did WHAT? He dishonors our noble blood by marrying such a lowly peasant as she. My son is the seventh cousin, four times removed of Fire Lord Shan's half-sister. Look at Mai, my daughter: she married well! Tom-Tom is a failure. I expected him to marry a beautiful, rich noblewoman, and instead he chose a commoner. My wife and I paid for a proper education: eight years at the Royal Fire Academy for Boys and then Ba Sing Se University for another four years. We, on top of funding that, taught him proper etiquette. Oh, excuse my raving wife. She obsesses over the boy like he's a child. Anyhow, Tom-Tom is no longer worthy of being our son.

_Fire Lady Mai, sister of Tom-Tom_

Sure, whatever. Let my brother do what he wants. He's not my kid.

_Fire Lord Zuko, brother-in-law of Tom-Tom_

What? I don't have time to talk about my brother-in-law! What? Fine. That girl Hope is alright, I guess. She reminds me of Toph Bei Fong. Oh, I almost forgot! I have to speak with Lady Bei Fong about control of Omashu. I'm not quite sure about her policies. I must be going now. Good day, ma'am, and may Agni be with you.

_Warden of Boiling Rock (name not given), uncle of Tom-Tom_

You want to know what I think of that girl? Well, I have to admit I rather like her. She may be a bit wild, but that's just what my prick of a nephew needs. He could use a little loosening up once in a while.

_And because Evirna was bored, _

_Lady On Ji, ambassador. _

Who? Sorry, I'm not quite sure what you're talking about. I just got back from the Water Tribes. Ambassador and all, you know.

* * *

_A/N: Next few chapters will be backstory, how the two met, such and such. _


	6. Something or other

Since it's spring break right now, I thought I'd get something done. So here. Written on my phone while listening to Far East Movement (they're Asian!)

**Summary: **How Hope met Tom-Tom in the first place, and what happened two hours later.

**Prompt: **none.

**Word count: **454

**Author's note: **This sucks a ton.

For the record, Juxin Bei is Avatar's Justin Bieber. There are a couple references to Inuyasha, Dragon Ball Z, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Anne of Green Gables in here.

* * *

"It's so _fancy_," groaned a young lad of the age of thirteen who was presently situated in a tea house of the highest ranking.

"Tom-Tom, you ought to know proper manners when addressing elders," scolded his mother, an aging woman with a frail figure. "We have already gone over this: you must impress General Iroh if you expect to appease our Lord."

"Yes, _mother_."

"Don't use that tone with me, young man. Oh, look! There's the general right now! Tom-Tom, sit up straight. I will not have him believe you as anything other than the most proper young man. General Iroh! What a pleasure to see you again!"

"Lady Sayuri!" exclaimed the elderly tea-maker. "I hope you've been well? And please, call me Mushi."

"General Iroh, my son Tom-Tom has been dying to meet you," said the noblewoman a bit too enthusiastically.

"No, I haven't."

"Hush, son. Show some respect to your elders. General Iroh…"

Tom-Tom tuned out his mother. Most of what she said didn't matter, anyway. He turned his attention to the ceiling. How many knotholes were there? One, two, three, nine thousand and forty-two…

THUMP skip_-skip_

"MUSHI!" cried a female voice from the door. A petite girl of eleven with braided pigtails charged through and threw herself on Iroh, who chuckled.

"I see you're full of energy as always, dear Hope," said he.

"Yo, who's this?" asked Hope, pointing to the young boy seated a few feet over.

"Erm, I'm, um, Raye?" said boy stammered.

"You know what, that doesn't matter. You're my new best friend."

Needless to say, there was more than one mouth hanging open.

* * *

Hope barged into the library at Ba Sing Se University like she did daily. "Yo!" she grinned, poking Tom-Tom.

"Go _away_, Hope; my mum's going to be back here any minute now and she's going to kill me if she finds out I wasn't studying." Tom-Tom said, referring to his mother, who was presumably contemplating whether to buy her daughter a frilly pink kimono or a violet one of the same design.

"So?"

"Kid, I seriously don't have time to goof around. Don't you have other friends?"

"Yeah, but they're _all_ being _meaniefaces_ and won't let me bother them. So I'm here and _oh em gee_. Your _hair _is _so _adorable. It's like Juxin Bei's!"

"Nobody likes that kid; he makes my buddy Jakotsu look straight, and that's hard to do. Please don't tell me you're a fan."

"Oh, _hell_ no. You're _way_ hotter than _that_ guy, even if you _are_ short. But his _haircut_ looks so_ cute_ on you! You know what? I'ma call you Fire Bei."

"Do you ever run out of italics?"

"_No_, of _course _not. Kay, bye. You're _boring_."


	7. For Lack of a Better Name

It's also the name of a Deadmau5 song.

**Summary: **Three times it was Hope's fault.

**Characters/pairings: **Hom-Tom

**Prompts:**

Impel/inchoate

Inveigle/libation (2-14-11 and 2-18-11 dictionary [dot] com word of the day, respectively)

(None)

**Word count:** 1,110

**Author's note:** The last one took forever. But I was watching anime and managed to finish Death Note (12 days), Inuyasha (17 days), and Bokusatsu Tenshii (3 days), and I started watching Fullmetal Alchemist.

So yeah.

* * *

**I. In which a stink bomb is thrown**

Toss, catch. Toss, catch. Up, down. Spin. Repeat.

Hope repeated this mantra to herself as she tossed the wooden ball in her hand. Standing across from her, Tom-Tom frowned. "No," he said, "I'm not going to do it."

"Aww, but it'll be funny!" Hope insisted as she tossed up her toy again. Tom-Tom glared at her, a girl two years younger than him and three inches taller.

"I only see a bunch of angry earthbenders and — hey, hands off the hair, HANDS OFF THE HAIR!"

Hope snatched her fingers back, which had been pulling on the boy's thick locks. Her face scrunched up into a pathetic pout and she then whimpered. "It's just so fluffy though," she whined.

"No; don't cry! I'll come with you, kid; promise."

"YAY!" squealed Hope as she flung her arms around her friend. "So here's the plan..."

oOo

"How did I ever get into this?" complained Tom-Tom. "There's no way your so-called 'plan' will work, Hope."

"So maybe I haven't worked out all the kinks yet," admitted the girl, "big deal."

"Are you kidding me? We're not even benders! How are we even supposed to get close to the generals?"

"Well, it's simple. You're a dude. So, you take this stink bomb, throw it, and run. That's all you have to do."

"You do it."

"I told you I can't; if I get caught messing with them one more time my mom will kill me."

Tom-Tom rolled his eyes. "That's what you say every time. I'm always the one who gets in trouble."

Hope smirked. "Exactly."

oOo

Perfect shot. Target in view. Trajectory probable. Path unobstructed. Ready for launch.

Tom-Tom lowered his telescope and handed it to Hope, who was crouched behind a bush like he was. Across the palace garden, the Council of Seven lingered after a long morning of meetings. The seven generals were not far from where the two children hid.

The youth behind the shrub weighed the small object in his hand. Developed by Chief Sokka, it was a small, versatile explosive device that released a powerful stench upon impact. It made its way from the boy's palm, through the air, and hit the ground in front of General Fong.

"Shoot," said both non-benders simultaneously. They made a mad dash for the garden gate, hoping to outrun the surely furious, stinky Earthbender.

* * *

**II. In which someone gets dead drunk**

Two cloaked figures, one visibly male and the other, female, weave through the dwindling crowd. It is dusk, when all loyal children of fire retreat. However, these two are not descended from Agni. It is true that the male lives among their clan and adopts their customs, but the girl is of another race completely and bears no relation to most in the City of the Phoenix.

But this is irrelevant. Both appear identical to every other person on the streets anyway, so why pay attention to these two in particular?

It is because they are going in a different direction, away from the residential district. Now, this may seem unimportant, but for every action, there is a reason behind it. It just so happens that their motive – rather, the girl's motive – is not completely innocent.

They make their way past the commercial section and into the lower districts, covertly slipping past bystanders who give them one look and no more. The girl leads the man into a small tavern tucked between two taller buildings.

Once inside, they throw off their hoods. "This is the place," says the girl in a brash voice dripping with sarcasm. She nudges her friend.

The man surveys his surroundings: a brawl in a corner, several burly men crowded around a bar and a woman with a tattooed shoulder casually sipping a drink as if she hadn't a care in the world.

He cringes. The girl beside him senses his hesitation and adds, "You deserve a drink; after all, it IS your eighteenth birthday. You're officially an adult now."

"Just one," the man shakily replies. The girl grins.

"Hey Tom, have I ever mentioned you're sooo sexy when you're swingin' aroun' tha huge ass sword?" slurs the girl as she staggers out the door.

"Yes; you said that eight times already," says her mostly-coherent companion. He caught her when she lurched forward. "Now wouldn't you look at the irony?"

"Whut ironyy, is that like, a type o' metal?"

"Alright, we're taking you home." Tom-Tom drags the stumbling Hope down the dimly lit street.

* * *

**III. In which a fate is morbid.**

Aunt Wu's fingers are wrinkly as they run across the young woman's palm, the nineteen-year-old notes. Streaks of gray run through the fortune teller's carefully styled hair adorned with a single golden crescent.

"I see your fortune laid out in front of you. You will never grow more beautiful; however, you will be adored by some and scorned by others. When you reach the age of thirty-three, your territory will be under siege by a horrible enemy. You shall be the one everyone will turn to, although you have no bending whatsoever.

"It is true that you will have been a renowned conqueror at the time of which I speak. Indeed, you will have under your control the entire region of Basu, as well as the upper islands of Juzi. To be more precise, they will belong to your husband, but he will have relinquished all power over these areas and turned them over to you, having abolished all laws pertaining to discrimination by sex years before.

"'Save us,' they will entreat, as if they have no other to turn to. One in particular, I see, will fall upon his knees in hopes of gaining favor. He will grovel at your feet, catering to your every order.

"You shall refuse despite his pitiful cries. 'Silence,' you will command. 'I have no patience for such trivial matters.'

"'Please, I beg of you,' he will sob. Still you shall turn a blind eye, for you bear no sympathy for such weaklings.

"You dismiss your disciples. Then you turn to the gentleman presently kneeling on the elaborate carpet before you. Your hand instinctively falls to the hilt of your great blade. It unsheathes with a _shink_.

"A bloody mass drops to the floor. Crimson liquid seeps into the expensive carpeting and pools at your feet.

"You look upon the disembodied head. Your sword is reinserted into its scabbard. 'Farewell, my beloved,' you murmur.

"Of course, I could always be wrong."

"Bullshit," snorts Hope. "As if I'd be stupid enough to marry _Tom-Tom_, of all people. Fuck him, maybe. Marry? Hell no."

* * *

I swear, I'ma get back to the whole prompt thing next month.


	8. Retoast

**Summary: **Hope complains. Retoast.

**Word count: **107

**Rating: **K+

**Author's note: **because I've got absolutely nothing new. Slight edit.

* * *

Yeah, my life really sucks.

Imagine having to put up with this idiot who ruins all your fun every day. And not only is he a freaking moron, he's a snobby rich kid who's serious all the time. So maybe his sister is the queen of some nation. Big deal.

To be honest, Tom-Tom has the most retarded name I have ever heard. I mean, it sounds like something you'd name a turtle-duck and not a prince. So what if he's rich and sort of hot? He still has a stupid name. Plus, he's short, skinny, and really nerdy.

I wish my name wasn't just as dumb.


	9. Tittle Tattle

**Summary: **In which Hope plays matchmaker.

**Prompt: **tittle-tattle (n.) – an idle, trifling talker; a gossip (7-12-1999 dictionary [dot] com word of the day)

**Word count: **357

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer: **Mai4eternity does not own Avatar. Neither does Hope, and she's not complaining.

**Author's note: **Because I was browsing through Dictionary [dot] com's Word of the Day archive.

By the way, thanks to CaelumBlue for being such a consistent reviewer. Yup.

* * *

The University was quiet.

Too quiet. Usually there'd be someone (ahem HOPE) screaming her head off (ahem HOPE) or ticking people off (ahem HOPE) or loudly breaking some priceless artifact (ahem HOPE) or otherwise disrupting the peace (ahem HOPE).

But not today, thought Tom-Tom of the two names. Something was wrong. Ah, there she was, the little brat.

"What's up, kid?" he asked, leaning against the same stone wall as she was.

A sigh. "Nothing; just thinking."

"Does it hurt?"

Hope rolled her eyes. "Very funny, bro."

"So what about?"

"You know, stuff."

"Sex?"

"Oh yeah, I'm _totally_thinking about sex. That's not weird at all."

"Alright, kid, I was just wondering. Geez, lay off the sarcasm, will ya?"

"Pshh." Hope stared at the cloudless sky for a moment before leaping up and exclaiming, "You know what? You should get a girlfriend."

"Wha-what?" said a stunned Tom-Tom.

"Or a boyfriend."

"What? I had a girlfriend before!"

"Like who?"

"Erm, a girl you don't know?"

"I'm taking that as a no. Oh, I forgot most chicks dig tall guys." The girl smirked.

"Hey!"

"That's right, pipsqueak. Hey, I know the perfect girl for you! That really short one, what's her face, Meixiao!"

"Are you kidding me? The one in my vexillology class?"

"Yeah, that's the one! Look, there she is! Go talk to her!"

"No! Yo, quit pushing me!"

"Nope. You're fifteen and still single? Silly little virgin boy."

"You said you didn't think about sex."

"I lied. Now go pick up that chick. If you don't, then I'm going to march over there myself and set you two up on a date."

"How about you get a boyfriend then?"

"You want _me_to get a boyfriend?"

"Or a girlfriend; that's fine too."

"I'll have you know I've had six boyfriends before."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah."

"What were their names?"

"Lee, Li, Lin, Lu, and Yi."

Tom-Tom counted on his fingers, then re-counted. "And?"

"Marvin. But never mind that," Hope shrugged. "The point is, I've dated more people than you have. Now go talk to Meixiao before she gets to class."

She promptly shoved her so-called "friend" in front of said girl before he could protest.

* * *

**A/N**: vexillology (n.) - the study of flags (June 14, 1999 dictionary [dot] com word of the day)


	10. Badinage

Thanks to CaelumBlue for reviewing!

Additional thanks to Crystal, my non-member beta and fellow fan. And Full Metal Alchemist.

Ed: WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PIPSQUEAK? YOU KNOW, I'D BE TALL TOO IN HEELS!

**Summary: **In which Tom-Tom's hair needs fixing and Hope is a trolling cloud-babysitter.

**Prompt: **badinage (n.) – light, playful banter

**Word count: **768

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer: **Mai4eternity owns... not even Ryuzo.

**Author's note: **In Chinese, "mei" means "beautiful" and "xiao" means "small."

Meixiao: rough transliteration of Michelle. The "University" is the largest private school in the Earth Kingdom. It consists of the actual college, along with an elementary, junior high, and high school. Hehe. Wow, this chapter was fast. But really bad.

* * *

"So, how was your date with Meixiao last night?" demanded Hope of the shortest first-year guy going to the University.

"Awful. I tripped three times, spilled punch on her, and the waiter thought Meixiao was my girlfriend and then called us little. I was compelled to beat the living crap out of him. Worst of all, the girl actually enjoyed herself. Apparently now I'm 'her little Tommy-Wommy.' And I thought my name was bad to begin with."

"So in other words, it went pretty well. At least, better than I expected."

"You weren't watching? Wow, that's the first time you've ever left me alone."

"I'm offended that you actually think I'm that nosy!"

"You seriously weren't spying on me?"

"Oh no, I was totally watching you guys, but some fat oaf got in my way and I kind of missed a lot."

"Well, you deserved it, since YOU were the one in the first place who set the whole thing up."

"I did no such thing!"

"Really? Quote: 'Hey, Mei, Tom-Tom doesn't have the balls to ask you out, so I'm doing it for him. A play and the juice bar after class today. How bout it?' What was that then?"

"I dunno, man."

"I hate you."

"I love you too."

"You're irritating."

"I love you too."

"Shaddup."

"You're an idiot."

"What?"

"Never mind."

"No, seriously, what?"

"Look, if you don't get off my back right now, I'm going to have to kick you in the nuts. Would you like that?"

"It's better than being called 'Tommy-Wommy.'"

"Is that so?"

"Yeah."

"You sound upset."

"No, I'm perfectly happy."

"Sarcasm much?"

"Yup." Tom-Tom fell silent and walked quietly for a few moments. "So, do you know what my name even means?"

"Short little moron, of course."

"Soup."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Not at all. The characters for my name literally mean 'Soup-Soup.'"

"Wow. Flipping wow."

"Well, at least it sounds half normal, unlike yours."

"Oh no you di'int!"

"Got a problem with that, Hopey-chan?"

"Yes, I do, Shorty."

"WHO YOU CALLING A SHORTY? I'M STILL GROWING, DAMNIT!"

"Sure you are, Pipsqueak."

"Oh, you're just having so much fun, aren't you, Little Miss Sarcasm?"

"Yep. But you know what would be even more fun? Fixing your hair. Gotta look nice for your date today."

"What date?"

"Oh, I might have heard she was going to ask you out again. Now let's see," at this point Hope ruffled Tom-Tom's hair, "it needs to be blown... I'm going to get Anki to do that for you. Wait right here. No, come with me. You'll just run off if I go."

"I'm not letting a floating first grader to do my hair!" protested the poor teenager. "I've got like three different gels I use!"

"Psh, we'll just go ask Ryuzo for his. I'm sure he won't mind."

"You mean Ryuzo, the bad boy in my math class who looks like he belongs in a street gang instead of the most expensive private school in the world?"

"If you mean the hottest guy at the University, then yes, that's the one. Did I mention we're going out now?"

"WHAT? What in Agni is wrong with you? He smells like dirt!"

"It's called being manly, dumbutt. You jelly?

"Huh?"

"Nothing. C'mon, we have to catch Ryuzo before he goes back to his dorm."

"Why, do you not want to be seen there?"

"It stinks over in the guys' rooms. Except for yours. You smell like a flower. Are you sure you're not gay?" Hope broke into a light run.

Tom-Tom flushed red and matched his pace to hers. "I told you I'm not," he insisted.

"Lies. Hey, Ryuzo!" the girl called to a tall, muscular boy with spiked hair and a thin textbook under his arm. Upon seeing his girlfriend, he strode over with a "hey babe!" and draped is arm over her shoulders as Tom-Tom looked him up and down with disgust, mouth hanging open.

"Y-you were serious? Since when were you two dating?" the nobleman's son stuttered.

"Yesterday," explained Ryuzo. Hope stiffened under the weight of his arm.

"Oh! Soup boy here has a date tonight!" she exclaimed. "Ryu, go find Anki to help make him look... manlier."

"Kay, babe," Ryuzo nodded. "We hittin' the club tonight?"

"Yeah, sure. By the way, here's a leash in case Anki starts floating around. Irritating little Airbender kids," said Hope, the last bit muttered. She unclipped a length of rope from her leather belt and handed it to Ryuzo, who pulled the other boy by the hair.

A maniacal cackle could be heard echoing around campus.


	11. Marginalia, or, Classifieds

Marginalia, or, Classifieds

Excuses:  
Portal 2. Played co-op with my 10,648 year old (or the cube root of that) broski.

Laptop broke. Went on CounterStrike withdrawal. Now must go to library to post.

Piano competition. Got third out of three and damn proud of it.

Royal wedding (check out my story, Geminus /end advert). Bin Laden ordeal. So distracting.

A Tale of Two Cities is boring when questions are involved.

Been bothered by friend's ex. He's stalking me yet again.

Oh, and I've been obsessive over FMA lately. Watched both series and the manga in two weeks (except the last 12 episodes of Brotherhood). And I think I'm in love with Travis Willingham. In light of that, the April 22 2011 Dictionary . Com word of the day was homunculus.

Discovered a Detroit band called Alive, In Standby. They mix electronic, screamo, pop, and metal. It's awesome. Their latest song is called Mac Attack. Go listen. Now.

I bet you guys don't really care. So without further ado,

Marginalia.

Summary: Hana, hua, flor, fleur, blume, fiore.

Prompt(ish): marginalia (n) - Notes in the margin of a book, manuscript, or letter (4-25-11 Dictionary [dot] com word of the day)

Author's note: Because that's what it began as. I write notes in the corners of my drafts, and this was one of the scenes that got cut out of another one that's about 3000 words or so.

It had just rained that day in the Fire Nation. The sky was clearing after shedding its tears, rays of light shining all around. On earth, the palace grounds glistened in the morning sun.

A cherry blossom, blown by the breezy zephyr, drifted down from the cherry tree and alighted in the open palm of a young man kneeling in the damp grass below the great tree. He presented the bloom to the girl beside him, a tall woman leaning back on her hands, legs outstretched before her. With a wistful smile, she accepted the flower and placed her fingers over its fragile petals. Her companion put his arm around her, pulling her close. She relaxed and closed her eyes, leaning into the man's shoulder.

A contented sigh escaped her lips. 


	12. Snippets

**Summary: **Various moments in time.

**Word count:** 898

**Rating: **K+

**A/N: **Originally a bunch of dialogue snippets. Most of them got rewritten completely, especially the last one, which was originally three lines of dialogue.

**Credz: **My good friend Baobao (thank you, Panda! Now do my homework for me pl0x), Crystal (Master of Eloquence, Sap, and Ninjutsu), and CaelumBlue.

* * *

"Let's learn to play the pipa!" Hope squealed, shoving said instrument into Tom-Tom's face. Tom-Tom let out an annoyed "Why?"

"Because _pipas_ are _awesome_! Uncle Chong said I could be a great singing nomad if I learned how to play it."

* * *

"Let's solve some math problems!" Tom-Tom held his textbook up enthusiastically as Hope rolled her eyes.

"Why don't we just learn to play the pipa?" she suggested.

* * *

"Pipa!"

"Algebra!"

"Pipa!"

"Geometry!"

"Pipa!"

"Trigonometry!"

"Pipa!"

"Calculus!"

"PIPA!"

"Both of you, SHUT UP!" roared Toph from four rooms over. Both children clung to each other in silent dread of their impending destruction by Bandit. When a few minutes elapsed and no such Earthbender came, Hope nudged Tom-Tom with her elbow with a wily gleam in her eye.

"Bongos, at least?"

* * *

On most days, one can linger on the streets of Ba Sing Se and see a young girl innocently trailing a teenaged boy as he carries about with his usual life. Listening closely, the girl's words can be heard: "You're so soft and squishy and huggable even though you're basically dragging me around right now because you won't stop walking while I'm hanging off your neck."

Following the eccentric duo, one can hear their entire conversation:

"Do something useful, will you?" says the boy.

"But that takes too much effort," returns the girl, stretching out the last syllable.

"And stalking me doesn't?"

* * *

He gazed lovingly into her eyes, his amber irises like fluid honey and molten gold. She violently pushed him out of her personal space and demanded to know what he was doing.

His husky reply was slow and deliberate. "I'm trying to dazzle you with my supposedly haunting, captivating eyes?"

* * *

"Everyone loves me! Except for the people who don't love me."

"Mathematically, you just included everyone in the entire world."

"That's true. . ."

* * *

"Hope, I think I'm in love with you."

"Oh, Tom-Tom, I knew you couldn't handle my sheer awesomeness."

* * *

"Is this the joy of growing? Or the pain of growing apart?"

"It's called withdrawal, idiot."

* * *

A notice hangs outside the office of Wang Fire, Jr., private investigator:

_**No case too big, no case too small; Wang Fire, Jr. can solve it all. **_

A student takes note of this, skimming over the words briefly before entering the cramped, cluttered room. "Hey," he says as he picks his way through the mountains of books and papers, "I need your help with something." He brushes away the last of the papers to reveal a small boy sleeping with his feet propped up on a stack of books.

The boy wakes with a start, causing a heap of papers to collapse behind him with a crash. He drowsily rubs his blue eyes. "Ah, a client!" he exclaims, acknowledging the student's presence. "What can Wang Fire do for you today, good hotman?" Wang winks and begins picking up the fallen papers.

"Tom-Tom," corrects the other. "I'm here to report a burglary. Someone stole three silver and seventeen copper pieces from my room this morning."

"My, my, somebody's a penny-pincher," smiles Wang Fire. "But do not fret; I, the great Wang Fire, Jr., son of Pvt. Wang Fire and boy genius, shall solve this crime and apprehend the culprit! Watch me catch the thief in ten minutes — I mean, I shall capture the thief with all due speed!" He finishes with a dramatic pose abruptly cut short by another stack of papers falling on his head.

"Thanks, Sokka," Tom-Tom lifts the minute detective back to his feet. "I owe you one."

The boy pouts, stomps his foot, and whines, "I told you to stop calling me that! My daddy went by Wang Fire and so will I! I mean, I would be honored if you addressed me by my esteemed father's name of choice."

"Riiiiiiight." Tom-Tom pats Wang Fire's head, tousles his hair a bit, and exits the room, again pushing past various tomes of literature.

Three hours later, two burly upperclassmen toss a kicking, squirming girl into the office of Wang Fire, Jr. The boy jumps off his desk and jabs a finger in her face. "You stole big brother Tom-Tom's money, didn't you?" he accuses, gesturing to Tom-Tom, who is standing by the desk and intently picking at his fingernails.

The girl shrugs. "Yep, I did."

"No, this is the part where you're supposed to deny you committed the alleged crimes! You're ruining it, big sister Hope!" Wang Fire wails.

Hope shrugs. "Well, we all know I did it so it's really not worth the effort to interrogate me," she reasons.

"That's true," agrees Tom-Tom, finally looking up from his nails. "But, Hope, what I don't understand is why you would even bother to take my money."

"Ran out of cash," is the blunt reply.

"Did you ever consider a job instead of raiding my wallet? I'm rich, but I'm not _that_ rich."

She lets out an irritated sigh. "No more questions! Here's your money back!" Exasperated, she thrusts a fistful of coins at the boys and storms out, kicking the guard in the shin on her way.

"Three silvers and sixteen coppers." Tom-Tom finishes counting the retrieved money. "One copper piece short." He quietly rages to himself until Wang Fire, Jr. taps him on the shoulder. "My fee, please." The little boy holds out his hand expectantly.

"How much?" asks Tom-Tom.

"Three silvers and sixteen coppers."


	13. Relapse

**A/N: I admit in advance I don't know s―t about Japan, the American Civil War, or military tactics. The references for this were Wikipedia and an outdated Japanese second grade textbook that once belonged to my brother. Thanks, broski, and congrats on graduating. Have a great time at UCSF.**

**Thank you to Crystal, Master of Eloquence, Sap, and Ninjutsu for helping me with the letter in particular.**

**A few notes: Tom-Tom is a ridiculous name, so I call him "Tomo." It's a legit Japanese name. And let's say he finally hit his growth spurt.**

**This is written in pairs of themed oneshots, the first theme being "swordplay" and the second being "confession." I don't know how well executed these are, but despite the utter lack of quality this is the last for a while because 13 is such a nice number. This bit was mostly an experiment for future projects. Begun on April 21 and finished April 26. That's a note for me.**

**Summary: **Hope is nearly nonexistent in a world of war.  
**Word count: **2132  
**Rating: **T

* * *

_The Antibenders are enemies of the state. We have no choice but to annihilate them._

These words echoed through his mind like a mantra as he fastened on the black shoulder plates, the steel gold-trimmed breastplate, and the armored wrist guards. He glanced through the slit in the tent flap and looked about the encampment. Several dozen soldiers donning nearly identical standard-issue Fire Nation military uniforms prepared for battle.

They stood alert in perfect rows, waiting for orders. On command, the infantrymen marched. Lieutenant Tomo observed his men; all was well amongst them. He checked his daishō. The officer's katana was at its usual place at his hip; beside it hung his wakizashi, ready to be drawn without a moment's thought. His kaiken dagger was concealed in his belt just in case.

He recalled the one who had given him the kaiken, a tall woman with sly jade eyes. Memories ran through Tomo's mind. He thought of the last time he had seen her before he was called to the front line in the bloodiest civil war since the time of the Sun Warriors.

~oOo~

Both hands gripping the long handle, the young Lord Tomo thrust his katana towards an imaginary assailant. He passed through each stance with deliberate fluidity, slashing, slicing. Someone snickered behind him. Tomo fell out of his immersed state with a jolt, tumbling backwards and landing flat on his back. A woman in a scarlet-trimmed pale green robe tramped by the fallen man and nudged his head with the toe of her boot.

"Ow," groaned Tomo, "you just had to wear those stinky boots. Why couldn't you be normal and wear slippers?"

"And be like all those other ninnies? Please," Hope scoffed, "I didn't join the military to become a baby factory."

"Hope, we're married, if you've forgotten. At least try to be a good wife."

"That means I have to come with you when you leave tomorrow. You'd be a dead man without me and you know it. Remember that time you almost tripped and fell on your sword? Or that time your hairpiece broke and you couldn't see a thing? Who was it who saved your ass, huh? I did."

"Listen, Hope, you have to stay here for your own safety." Tomo looked her straight in the eye, hands seizing her slight shoulders. "You know it's dangerous out on the front. I'd never be able to live with myself if I lost you." Eyebrows scrunched in a pained expression, he pulled his wife into a crushing embrace.

Hope's eyelids popped open, and then fell half shut, as if she were in a dream. "Just promise me you won't get yourself killed, idiot," she murmured. "If you did, I'd have to destroy every one of those rebels myself."

"That's the sweetest thing you've ever said, dear. It's not like you," her husband noted.

"I know, Tomo, but I can't help but worry you'll wimp out as always." Dazed, she rested her head on his broadly muscled chest, silent, and he brought his lips to the top of her head. Several moments passed in this manner, the only sound being the hushed whispers of the autumn wind.

Shifting, Hope tilted her head upward to gently kiss her husband's lips. "Spar before you leave?"

Tomo nodded, replying with a wistful smile.

~oOo~

"Here, use my wakizashi." The heir to the late governor of New Ozai tossed his second sword to his opponent, who shrugged.

"I think I'll be fine," she assured him, reaching behind her calf* to reveal a sleek tantō with a delicately carved ebony handle. She drew the blade and returned the sheath to its place below her knee.

"En garde."

She lunged, tantō in hand, and endeavored to strike. Tomo skillfully parried the blow with his elbow, knocking her backwards. Hope righted herself with a flip and again lashed at the other's ankles. With a step to the side, he evaded her attack and swung his sword towards her. Leaning back, she countered against the katana, resisting the pressure Tomo applied to it.

Hope thrust her assailant off with a grunt, twirling her knife and springing upright. A startled expression dominating his countenance, Tomo stumbled backward before digging his left foot into the rough ground to halt him. He aimed a blow of his katana at her. She ducked, avoiding her opponent's advances.

The pair continued their duel, a choreographed flurry of flashing metal. The woman held back the man's sword arm with the flat of her blade. Rising, she directed her left fist toward his nobly sculpted face. Tomo flinched from the impact. "Just like old times," he chuckled.

With a slide across the packed dirt, Hope sprang from behind. "Yes," she agreed, "I remember how I'd kick your ass every time."

Tomo spun around, both hands gripping his katana as he swung at her. "I was going easy on you."

The shrill shriek of steel on steel rang through the air. Hope dropped to her knees, palm pressed to the surface of the earth, the other fist clenching the dagger. She brought her leg into a well-timed kick full of ferocity, knocking the katana out of its bearer's grasp and sending it hurtling far from both combatants. "You're mine now," Hope hissed as Tomo scrambled to draw his secondary sword, his wakizashi. Without hesitation, she pressed the blunt edge of the cold metal knife to the skin of Tomo's neck.

"I win," she declared.

"Think again." The lord gestured with his head to his previously concealed kaiken, the point of which was but a few hairs' breadth from his wife's back.

"Well played." Hope removed the tantō from its position at the other's throat and reinserted it into its sheath, as did Tomo of his sword.

They performed the Sacred Flame Salute, bowing. Thus, their duel concluded.

* * *

In 105 ASC, Crown Princess Mayu, eldest daughter of Fire Lord Zuko, was born.

In 110 ASC, the Fifty-Third Earth King took the throne at the age of six.

In 111 ASC, the Fifty-Third Earth King was betrothed to Crown Princess Mayu.

In the fourth month of 121 ASC, the Fifty-Third Earth King and Crown Princess Mayu were married.

In the ninth month of 121 ASC, commoners rose in a revolt against the government. They refused to be oppressed by benders, they cried. Fire Lord Zuko and his wife were assassinated soon afterwards. Power thus transferred to the Earth King and his queen.

In the tenth month of 121 ASC, the lives of twenty-odd nobles in the capital were taken. The western region of the empire was plunged into a period of political turmoil. Whispers of treachery passed from ear to ear.

In the second month of 122 ASC, the rebels formed the Confederacy of Antibenders, officially seceding from the Empire. This action became the catalyst for a worldwide revolutionary movement as news spread.

In the third month of 122 ASC, the Fifty-Third Earth King declared war on the Confederacy of Antibenders.

In the fourth month of 122 ASC, the Thirtieth Division, of which Second Lieutenant Tomo was a member, was called to battle.

~oOo~

That was a year ago. Now, every passing day seemed bleaker and bleaker. Hope was something the lieutenant needed – both kinds. Since the unification of Fire and Earth in the marriage of the Fifty-Third Earth King and Crown Princess Mayu two years prior, the Fire-Earth Empire had become the most prominent military power in the world, yet they were being bested by a group of non-bending rebels. Shameful it was to be outmaneuvered by an enemy that ought to be quashed with little expenditure. The Antibender rebels had managed to evade their forces, attacking in covert, unforeseen raids. From spies' reports, it was evident that the Antibender confederacy was led by a brilliant military tactician, a former general named Li. He was rumored to be of average physical capabilities, but his strategic genius far surpassed his strength. The Imperial Army could not anticipate his moves, even with the advantage of espionage, and the Avatar himself was having difficulty controlling the rebels. General Bu, General Shan, General Taro, and General Hide of the Imperial forces had all been either demoted or killed to be replaced by General Kwan. Victory after victory for the rebels had decreased the soldiers' morale significantly. Many morose men had fallen into insanity, undergone depression, or were otherwise affected.

Besides the casualties on the battlefield, there was violence occurring amongst civilians. News that the rebels had gained control of the entire eastern fleet by infiltrating the navy and causing a mass mutiny brought about an uproar of cries for freedom from oppression resounding from people all over the nation. The size of the Antibender faction increased to monstrous proportions. Acts of violence filled the news; a massacre here, a riot there, a raid, a hanging, an invasion were the topics of discussion nowadays.

It was the general opinion among Imperial soldiers that civilians were to keep out of the conflict, but those thoughts were in vain; people were slaughtered nonetheless. The stench of death was everywhere, mangled bodies and blood marking a swath of destruction.

As if this weren't depressing enough, there was little connection to the homeland. Letters were scarce; hawks could rarely be spared, and the only messengers were wounded men.

Tomo took up his brush and deigned to pen a note regardless of the circumstances. _Lady Hope_, he began before crossing it out and replacing it with _My beloved_. A moment in contemplation altered his opinion, so he scribbled out the words and simply wrote _Hope_. Satisfied, he let his thoughts flow.

_Hope,_

_I miss you. It's been too long since I saw you last; I'm dying to know if you're safe and sound. The enemy is still at large despite our efforts. I hope this will be over soon._

No, this wouldn't do at all even if she never received the epistle. He crumpled up the sheet, threw it over his shoulder, spread a fresh sheet of parchment, and started anew.

_Dear beloved, darling, dearest, dazzling, beautiful, cherished, loved, endearing, Hope,_

_As I was out on the battlefield, I spied a sparrow as an arrow embedded itself in its brain, and I thought of you. The days are lonely without your presence; the future seems bleak, and every day I miss your leather boots ramming into my skull. The ostrich-horses trample me as well, but none of them can replace you and your annoyed yet complacent scowl._

_I am sure that you miss me. I miss you ten times more, and my love for you is infinite, so your love for me is infinity divided by ten, which is an immense number still. Please, in my absence, do not lament or despair. If I should perish, I beg you not seek solace in an affair with the hooligan who has taken a fancy to you. If so, my heart will be shattered into a thousand shards like a priceless Ming vase and my soul, along with my body, shall die._

_But I am confident that your fidelity is greater than such, my dearest. And so I must admit that I long for the pleasant aroma of your silken hair, the way it falls over your shoulders in an elaborate ebony cascade, locks of it in my fingers unworthy of touching such a heavenly being. I wish to caress your face once more, your angelic beauty in view. I miss the feeling of my arms around you, the tattoos of our hearts in perfect synchronicity. I desire your snide remarks, your voice, your heavenly voice! Despite your brash demeanor, I have come to love all of you but your taste in footwear!_

_It has been far too long since I last laid eyes on you. My heart aches as I think of you. Twelve months, fifty-two weeks, three hundred sixty-five days, eight thousand seven hundred sixty hours, five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes, thirty-one million five hundred thirty-six thousand seconds. That is how long I have been without you, my dear. Yet arithmetic alone cannot accurately measure the longing I have to see you._

_One year._

_One agonizing year without you._

_Until the day I left, I never knew how much I valued you, loved you, and cherished you. You, my love, my dearest Hope, so simple yet so complex, are the reason I have not gone mad; you are the only bond I have to this world now that my sister and parents are dead. I entreat you to remember me._

_With my infinite, undying love, I bid you goodbye for now,_

_Tomo._

Without allowing the ink to dry, Lieutenant Tomo folded the parchment and stuffed it in the folds of his uniform.

* * *

_*Noticed a plot hole. Some time – let's say a quarter hour – has passed, so Hope changed into something lighter._

_Katana: a long two-handed Japanese sword used by samurai as their primary weapon after the Muromachi period. A katana's length is greater than two feet._

_Wakizashi: a shorter one-handed Japanese sword used by samurai as their backup weapon after the Muromachi period. A wakizashi is one to two feet in length._

_Daishō: a set of two swords consisting of a katana and a wakizashi. Literally "large and small."_

_Tantō: a Japanese dagger six to twelve inches in length often carried by samurai during the Muromachi period._

**Important note:** If you're wondering where Aang went, Aang died. More specifically, there are billions of people out to kill him while he's doing his best to stop the rebellion without looking like a complete jerk. Because if he swept in and killed 18367 people at once that wouldn't be very nice, would it? Plus, the hoity-toity Emperor says: "This conflict is a matter for our own nation to resolve. If the Empire is meant to be, then the matter will subside. If not, let the world be launched into never-ending war until equilibrium is reached." Flowery language? Plenty. Logic? None.


	14. ZOMG PIRATEZ

Dear Mai,

How do I get a girl to like me?

Tom-Tom

* * *

Tom-Tom,

You're lucky _I_ like you. I still remember how disgustingly stinky you were. Ugh. Also, why are you sending me a hawk in the middle of the night when you live across the street?

~Mai

P.S. Get lost.

* * *

Dear Big Sis,

Please? I'll even take notes! And I can't sleep. Seriously.

Love,

Your obedient little brother

P.S. I am lost! In love!

* * *

Dear Waste of Time,

Don't dump her to run off on adventures. Also, act your age, which means GO TO SLEEP.

~Mai

P.S. More like lost in la-la land.

* * *

Mai,

That's it? And I do act 15!

Tom-Tom

P.S. I'm pretty sure it's love.

* * *

Tom-Tom,

No. I lied. Figure it out yourself. You're a smart kid, even though you're about as mature as Ty Lee.

~Mai

P.S. You're hopeless.

* * *

Most marvelous, amazing, beautiful sister,

Fine. Let's see, if you add her cuteness plus her natural attraction to my hair, divide by our popularity, subtract her dislikes and pet peeves, add the degree of her ego, and then raise it to the fourth power to account for the abstract concept of love, what do we have?

Your humble brother/butler,

Tom-Tom

P.S. That's exactly why I'm writing you in the first place.

* * *

Dear pesky little brother,

The answer is 42.

Just be yourself. Unless you're the backstabbing kind of guy who dumps a girl in a note, changes his name, and moves out of the country, I'm sure nothing can go wrong.

Your extremely irritated sister,

Mai

P.S. Since when are you my butler?

* * *

Mai! I've got it! Poetry! Girls love poetry, right? So what do you think of this?

Thou leaveth my mind not!  
Thy heart is mine  
My heart is thine  
Our souls art forevermore entwined!

So what is this feeling that haunts my mind?  
What is this abomination, one of a kind?  
For a lover, friend, or brother  
Love, I say, is like no other.

Love,

Tom-Tom

P.S. I dunno.

* * *

Tom,

You're killing my eyes. Not all girls love pretty things and poetry. By the way, if Mother tells you that the haiku is the highest form of art, ignore her.

~Mai

P.S. This is real poetry:

A perfect tale, a morbid end;  
A devil's will the angels send.  
A triumph and a tragedy;  
Fate beyond eternity.

* * *

Dear Mai,

I thought it was just you...

Tom-Tom

P.S. You're depressing.

* * *

I know. So why are you asking me for advice?

~Mai

* * *

Er... It's a secret. Anyway, guess where I am!

~Tom-Tom

* * *

The Si Wong Desert.

* * *

...I'm not talking to you anymore.

* * *

**No, like, seriously. Found this in the folder labeled "ABSOLUTE CRAP." Other file folders include Pwn, Trololol, PROOOOO, 1337, less than three, NYANYANYANYANYAN, and Poniessssss.**


End file.
